Buckle.



E. N. HUMPHREY.

BUCKLE APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1909 954,395. Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST N. HUMPHREY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO TRAU'I & HINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 1, 1909.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

Serial No. 525,643.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST N. HUM- PHREY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Buckles, of which the followlng is a full, clear, and exact description.

y invention relates to -an improved buckle of the friction slide type.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction without sacrifice to strength and durability.

An important incident tothe simplifying of the structure is a very substantial saving in cost of manufacture.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the buckle, as it would ap ear in use on a belt or strap, the free end of the strap being broken away close to the buckle. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line :13-m. Fi 3 is a rear elevation of the buckle. Fig. 4 illustrates an edge and front view of one of the details. Fig. 5 illustrates an edge and front view of another detail.

The buckle is made of two parts only, both sheet metal, each art being very easily produced by means of suitable dies. One part, which I will call a frame, is illustrated in Fig. 4. This frame is in its preferable form of rectangular outline, and comprises the'two end bars 12 and the two side bars 3et. The extreme side edges of the frame blank are folded back as at 5 6 to rovide guideways for the slide later reerred to. The end bar 1 is preferably provided with a hump or bend, as shown, intermediate its ends, for the purpose herein after described.

The second member of the buckle is what I will term a slide. This slide operates as a clutch and is illustrated in detall in Fig. 5. It will be seen to comprise the two end bars 78 connected by side bars 910. This clutch slide has rearwardly rojectin arms 11-12, while the outer en s of sai arms have laterally directed ears 1314. The Width of the clutch slide (not including the ears 13-14) is such as to fit between the folds 56, which, as stated, furnish guideways for the slide whereby the same may move to and fro on the frame when assembled therewith.

To assemble the parts, the front end of the clutch slide is introduced into the guideways of the frame, the humped portion of the bar 1 being de ressed to permit said clutch slide to be sli into place. The clutch slide is then advanced until the slide bar 8 stands in advance of the frame bar 1. Upon permitting said bar 1 to assume its normal position, the humped portion thereof rises to the rear of the clutch slide and holds the same a ainst withdrawal, accidental or unintentional. The clutch slide cannot be pushed entirely throu h the guideways in the frame, because t e ears 1314E will engage the rear edges of the folds 5 and 6, as will be clearly seen upon reference to the drawings. When the parts are thus assembled, the belt 15 is applied, one end of the belt being secured to the bar 1 of the frame. The free end of the belt (whenever it is desired to connect it), is passed through the clutch slide (between bars 7 and 8) and throu h the frame (between bars 1 and 2), sai parts being held so that the openings therein will register. Tension applied u on the belt will now move the clutch slide in such a direction that the bar 8 will coact with the bar 2 of the frame in clutching that part of the belt 15 between said bars so as to prevent slippa e. This clutching position of the arts is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. To re ease the belt, it is merely necessary to push back the clutch slide.

It should be understood that the bar 1 need not necessarily be humped to hold the clutch slide in place, since when the fabric of the belt 15 is attached to said bar 1 the fabric will stand in the rear of said clutch slide so as to prevent its displacement. It is, however, preferable to provide said hump, because in marketin the buckles (minus the belt) the arts mlght otherwise become accidentally etached, involving unnecessary labor on the part of the purchaser in assemblin It will To observed that all of the parts may be very quickly reduced by simple die processes and assem led without the aid of any tools whatever.

It will be seen that the clutch slide is fectly flat in its preferred form and t at said slide moves so close to the frame that a secure clutch action is produced upon the belt without the necessity of employing any serrated or toothed edges which tend to abrade and unduly wear the belt.

It will also be observed that the over-all Width of the slide and frame ma corres ond, clearance for the ears 13 4 being provided by cutting beck the guide ways 5-6 0n the frame, as best seen in Fig. 3.

What I claim is:

In a buckle, a frame comprising two end bars spaced apart, ene 01 said bars being arranged to carry one end of a belt, two side bars connectin said end bars, the extreme sides of said rame bein fielded over to form a guide-way fer a euteh slide, a cluteh slide camprising two and here, two side bars connecting said end bars, said clutch slide being arranged to slide in said 15 guide-We a pro'ection at each side ed e uteh sli e arranged tn engage a jsc'ent parts of the frame tq prevent said slide from being pulled out of said frame in one direction, and a hump on that bar of the '20 frame arranged to receive the belt end, said hump operating to prevent said slide from beingpulled out of said frame in an oppo site direction.

ERNEST N. HUMPHREY Witnesses:

Inn M. HUNZIKER, M. E. GARRETT. 

